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Copper Halfpenny Token, mint agent, Coard, London, minted by W.J. Taylor, London. Issued by John Andrew & Co, Drapers, Melbourne, 1860. John Andrew was apprenticed to the drapery trade in Glasgow and was later successful in his own drapery business in Scotland. He migrated to Australia in 1853. In 1854 he was listed in a Melbourne directory as the owner of a drapery and outfitting business in Lonsdale Street. In 1856 John married Ann Forbes, also from Wick. John sold his business in 1869 to Christie and Berwick and retired to live privately. In 1877 he was encouraged to stand for election to represent West Melbourne in the Legislative Assembly. He was duly elected and displayed his characteristic enthusiasm and progressive personality. At the end of his term, however, he retreated into retirement once again.

Previous Collections: George McArthur

Description:

A round copper token (28 mm diameter) giving the name address and business of the issuer: John Andrew & Co., 11 Lonsdale Street West, Melbourne, Importers and general drapers. The token features at centre of the obverse a male lion standing to left with head crowned facing front, its right paw is raised and rests on a shield bearing the Union Jack, its tail curved back over its body. On the reverse a female figure representing Justice seated on a wool bale with legs to left but her head and upper body to front. A wine barrel lies on the ground behind her, its end decorated with a cross to hint at a Union Jack (as found beside Britannia on the copper coins of the period). A three-masted sailing ship sails to the right on the horizon to the left. Justice wears a blindfold and extends a balanced set of scales with her right hand. With her left she holds an inverted cornucopia from which fruits flow onto the ground. She wears an ancient-style of flowing dress bound at the waist, her left arm bare and right draped to near the elbow. It bears the date 1860.

At centre, male lion standing to left with head crowned facing front, its right paw is raised and rests on a shield bearing the Union Jack, its tail curved back over its body. around in two concentric circles of text devided by a beaded circle * JOHN ANDREW & CO. * IMPORTERS & GENERAL DRAPERS / 11 LONSDALE STREET WEST * MELBOURNE * In small letters in the exergue below the lion, COARD LONDON

Reverse Description:

A female figure representing Justice seated on a wool bale with legs to left but her head and upper body to front. A wine barrel lies on the ground behind her, its end decorated with a cros to hint at a Union Jack (as found beside Britannia on the copper coins of the period). A three-masted sailing ship sails to the right on the horizon to the left. Justice wears a blindfold and extends a balanced set of scales with her right hand. With her left she holds an inverted cornucopia from which fruits flow onto the ground. She wears an ancient-style of flowing dress bound at the waist, her left arm bare and right draped to near the elbow. Around above, MELBOURNE VICTORIA.; in exergue, 1860

The Advance Australia type by Whitty & Brown was copied from an anonymous W.J.Taylor of London issue and occurs both struck and cast. How one should classify a cast example of an unauthorised copy of an anonymous unofficial trade token is interesting.

The trade tokens of John Andrew & Co are edxactly mirrored by those of his business neighbour A.G. Hodgson. Both employed Coard of London - most likley Coard was an agent who arranged for the production of dies and the striking of tokens under contract. The Lion obverse on this token is listed by Heaton & Sons as their work, yet the seated Justice reverse is normally associated with W.J. Taylor of London. See Sharples NAA 7 , p.28.

Bibliography:

[Thesis] Lugton, Mary E. 1989. George McArthur of Maldon: his Life and his Book Collection.

[Catalogue] Morrison, Ian. 2003. The Baker of Maldon.

[Article] Sharples, John P. 1993. A Catalogue of the Trade Tokens of Victoria 1848 to 1862. Journal of the Numismatic Association of Australia. vol.7: p.1-77.

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